Wireless networks are becoming more widely available. Most laptop computers, desktop computers, and handheld devices are equipped with wireless network interface cards. Typically, information technology (IT) professionals or other skilled persons configure these computing devices for wireless access. The configuration process is mostly manual and requires the exchange of configuration information by word-of-mouth in order to set up the wireless network.
For users who do not understand the terminology and/or have little knowledge about wireless and networking technology, this manual method of setting-up wireless networks is very inconvenient and sometimes difficult. It may require repeated attempts by the users to obtain the correct information. In addition, the users may be inconvenienced if the IT professional is not immediately available to help set up the wireless network. In addition, even after a user becomes aware of the availability of a wireless network, the user may not know what services (e.g., Internet access, peer to peer gaming, or file sharing) are available.